Teaching the hockey stop in skiing focuses on mastering specific body movements to efficiently carve the skis sideways and stop. Based on the provided reference, a key aspect to teach is the separation of upper and lower body movements.
Core Technique Focus: Body Separation
A crucial element in performing the hockey stop, and therefore in teaching it, is understanding how your body should move – or rather, how parts of it should remain still – during the maneuver.
Key Points to Teach:
- Upper Body Stability: Instruct the skier to keep their upper body and pelvis still and facing down the hill. This provides a stable platform and allows the legs to rotate independently.
- Leg Mobility: Emphasize that while the upper body is stable, the legs are moving in the hip sockets. This independent leg movement is what drives the skis sideways to create the stop.
- Initiating with Speed: The reference also suggests keeping a bit of speed to start the next turn. While the hockey stop is a stopping technique, practicing it often involves initiating from a controlled speed to generate the necessary momentum for the skis to pivot effectively.
Teaching Progression (Based on Reference Cues)
While the reference doesn't detail a full teaching progression, it highlights specific technical cues that can be incorporated into lessons:
- Demonstration: Show the student the movement, focusing on the separation of the upper body staying stable while the legs and skis pivot.
- Drills Focusing on Separation: Practice exercises where the student focuses purely on rotating their legs beneath a stable upper body while moving slowly on gentle terrain. Verbal cues like "Chest downhill, twist your feet" can be used.
- Adding Speed Gradually: Once the separation movement is understood at slow speeds, have the student initiate the attempted stop from slightly faster speeds, reinforcing the cue to keep the upper body facing downhill as the legs rotate the skis.
By breaking down the technique and focusing on the key body mechanics highlighted in the reference – keeping the upper body still and facing downhill while the legs move independently – instructors can guide students towards successfully executing a hockey stop.
